Sheet-registering device



L. P. HUGHES.

SHEET REGISTERING DEVICE- APPLICATION FILED JAN.29,1920. RENEWED OCT. 26,1921.

Patenfed Feb. 7

LEVI P. HUGHES, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 HUG-HES MACHINE CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

Application filed January 29, 1920, Serial No. 354,7'62. Renewed October 26, 1921. Serial No. 510,533.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnvr P. HUGHES, a

citizen of the United States of America, and

a resident of Hoboken, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Registering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sheet registering devices for printing presses, etc, and is particularly designed for the accurate lateral positioning of paper sheets in I printing presses, etc., though by so stating I do not mean to limit in any Way the field of use of my invention. In an application for Letters Patent filed July 28, 1919, Sr. No. 313,717, I have illustrated and described a printing press particularly designed for the printing of sheets of bank cheques and the like, and comprising a lateral registering device substantially corresponding to the device of the present invention, and in that application have claimed the said registering device in combination with printing elements and stop means, but without claiming specifically the registering device itself. In the present application I claim the registering device itself.

My invention comprises a reciprocating member having a clamp adapted to engage successively the sheets to be registered and then, by the motion of the device, to draw each sheet into precisely the desired position; also other features, all as hereinafter de scribed and pointed out in the appended claims. The object of my invention is to improve and simplify sheet registering devices such as referred to.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating one embodiment thereof, and will then point out the novel features in claims. In said drawings:

. Figure 1 shows a top view of the sheet registering device, and of certain associated parts of a printing press on which the sheet registering device is shown mounted.

Figure 2 shows a transverse section of the sheet registering device, and of associated parts of the press; and Figure 3 shows a per spective view of the said registering device, and of associated parts of the press.

In the said drawings, 1 designates a portion of the press frame, and 9 the bed of the press. These members may be presumed to be parts of the press of my said prior application. 6, 6, designate suitable paper-feed tapes, suitably mounted and driven as is common in printing presses, and which serve to carry forward, in the direction of right to left of Figure 1, the paper sheets to be reglstcred. 23 designates a stop finger for arresting momentarily, as to longitudinal movement, sheets being carried forward by thetapes 6, said finger being mounted on a pivoted transverse bar 22. In practice a number of these stop fingers are provided; but as the stop fingers, and the means by which they are operated, form no portion of the present invention, it is not thought necessary to illustrate and describe them further.

The sheet registering or positioning de vice itself comprises two clampin 31 and 32, pivotally united as shown, and adapted to separate to receive between them the sheet to be registered, and then, by closing together, to clamp or grip the said sheet. and forth on rods 33. This sliding motion is determined by a cam 34, on a suitable camshaft 35 of the press, which cam has three similar projecting lugs 36, 37 and 38, each adapted to engage and move to the left (of Figure 2) a member 39 secured to clamp member 31; such motion being against the members,

Member 31 is mounted to slide back pressure of springs 40. The opening and closing of the clamp 3132 is effected by a cam at on cam shaft 35, coacting with a tail 13 projecting from clamp member 32, and by a spring 45 tending to hold the clamp closed.

As shown particularly in Figures 2 and 3, the clamp-member 31 has a stop-shoulder 42in front of which clamps member 32.

In the operation of this sheet-registering device, at suitably-timed intervals, the clamp 31-32 moves forward, or to the right of Figure 2, under the impulse of springs 410, the cam 34 being shaped to permit and determine the time and extent of this movement; and the relation of cam 44: to cam 3a is such that during this forward movement of the clamp said clamp is open. If a sheet to be registered be then on tapes 6, the edge of such sheet will enter between clamping jaws 31 and 32 during this movement. In practice, the edge of the sheet usually engages stop-shoulder 42 during this movement, so that said sheet is pushed slightly to the right in Figure 2 during this move- 110 ment. Cam as then draws the clamp back, the cam 44; at the same time permitting closing of the clamp and holding the same closed by the spring 45; so that by the means described the sheet, no matter what (within reasonable limits, of course) its original position on the tapes, is pressed over to the right to a redetermined position, and then is drawn back a predetermined distance.

lVhat I claim is: Y

1. A sheet-registering device for printing presses, comprising a lower clamping bar arranged at one side of the printing bed and extending longitudinally thereof, said clamping bar having a longitudinal sheetengaging shoulder, means for mounting said lower clamping bar to slide laterally toward and away from the printing bed, an upper clamping bar pivoted on said lower clamping bar and adapted to engage the lower bar to clamp the sheet between the bars while the side edge of the sheet registers against said shoulder, a lateral extension connected with said lower clamping bar, a separate lateral extension connected with said upper clamping bar, and cam means for engaging said extensions to reciprocate said clamping bar as a unit toward and away from the printing bed and to rock the upper bar into open and closed positions.

2. A sheet-registering device for printing presses, comprising a lower clamping bar arranged at one side of the printing bed and extending longitudinally thereof, said clamping bar having a longitudinal sheetengaging shoulder, means for mounting said lower clamping bar to slide laterally toward and away from the printing bed, spring means for normally actuating said bar toward the printing bed, a lateral extension connected with said bar, a properly timed cam arranged to engage said extension to pull said bar laterally away from the printing bed against the tension of said spring means and to release said extension to permit reverse movement of said bar by said spring means, an upper clamping bar pivoted on said lower bar and arranged to engage the lower bar to clamp the sheet be-v tween the bars while the side edge of the sheet registers against said shoulder, spring means for normally holding said upper clamping bar in closed position, a lateral extension connected with said upper clampingbar, and a properly timed cam arranged to engage said last-named extension to open the upper clamping bar against the tension of said last-named spring means and to release said extension to permit closingoi said upper end.

3. A sheet-registering device for printing presses, comprising a lower clamping bar arranged at one side of the printing bed and extending longitudinally thereof, said clamping bar having a longitudinal sheetengaging shoulder, means for mounting said lower clamping bar to slide laterally toward and away from the printing bed, an upper clamping bar pivoted on said lower clamping bar and adapted to engage the lower bar to clamp the sheet between the bars while the side edge of the; sheet registers against said shoulder, means for sliding said clamping bars as a unit toward and away from the printing bed, and means for rocking said upper clamping bar into open and closed positions.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

LEVI P. HUGHES.

Witnesses MARK H. B RRY, RAYMOND T. BERRY. 

